Hello Fellow Travelers!I hope your having a fun week. I’m planning a series of trips and working up a travel budget this month. If your like me, you know its important to budget carefully for your travel, I need to make every dollar count. I would rather spend money staying in Paris, than spending money on hidden hotel fees or disguised rental car charges! So I thought I would write a series of posts on the lessons I have learned about obscure charges and hidden fees.

Avoiding hidden fees:

Your FlightBooking your flight online can be costly if you make a mistake. As soon as you get the conformation email, check to see that your name is spelled right and your travel dates are correct. If they are not, call the airline immediately. Most of the time when I have had an issue of this sort, they have cheerfully changed the tickets with no extra fees or issues. BUT I also called within 5 minutes. The longer you wait, the more likely you are going to be charged a fee.

And no one wants to pay extra fees!

If you have to change your flight date the airlines will often charge fees so high they are not much different from the airfare itself. I had this happen last month, I bought a ticket for a work trip and then it was pushed back. We bought the insurance, but there was a “change fee” even with the insurance that made the flight almost the same price. To avoid this look for a website or airline that offers a flexible booking period. They do exist, but you may pay more…but if your unsure of the dates of your trip it might be worth it.

As I said I didn't save anything with the trip insurance on that flight. But I have seen people (my mother for one) buy and use insurance for cruises that have refunded their entire trip when they ended up canceling because they were to ill to board. It might seem like another added expense that you would wish to avoid, but it can save a lot of money in the long run.

Hey!How are things? I'm in the middle of planning a trip today and was thinking about some of the more interesting questions folks ask me when I'm traveling.

​Now don't get me wrong, for me travel is a way of life and meeting interesting people and having adventures is part of the fun. But I must be very approachable, because people do not hesitate to ask me off hand questions at every turn.

Is it just me or does this happen to everyone?

Most often asked question or statement:

"You don't look like your passport!" Said by every customs agent everywhere. I usually reply, "Thank God! Because I was ill then," or something like that. They have never given me any real grief over it, so I must not look THAT DIFFERENT, lol (The picture is rubbish and I will not post it, lol but take my word for it!)

But I honestly don't tend to look the same in any pictures and since I color my hair as a hobby, I do tend to look different everyday. (As you may have noticed on here.)

Next common question: "Where's your husband?"

They usually look uncomfortable when I tell them he has passed away.

I don't get offended anymore when people (men) ask. I guess for some people (men) it's tough to imagine a woman traveling that much?

Another really common question I hear is: "What are you doing here?"or "How did you get here?" People seemed surprised that anyone would visit their region or even their countries. Usually I answer pretty straightforward, by telling them a plane or a train or a bus or whatever. I always run into people who have never left their own countries and cannot image anyone coming all the way from America to see their area. Travel really is a mindset as much as anything else.

(Actual Rotterdam station)

Leaving Rotterdam, Norway a youngish train attendant was talking to me about which route was best to take to get to the port and seemed to be caught off guard by me returning to America via a ship. "How long does it take? It takes 6 months, right?!" ​​Funny but a lot of people still seem to think it takes months to cross the sea.​ #WTF?!

We are going on a bigger ship than this! It usually takes about 7 days to make the crossing from NYC to Southampton UK. It takes a bit longer from Norway but still not over 2 weeks even with stops along the way.

The number one question French women ask me, when they find out I grew up in south Texas: "Are cowboys real?"

Yes, they are. But most of them are not like on TV.

Another common question I hear is: "Is Trump for real?"It is usually asked by everyone who sees my American passport.

Your guess is as good as mine!

Another common question or actual statement I hear often in England is:"There is nothing older than 200 years in America! Nothing there to see so you come to Europe!"Ugh! I usually just smile at this and walk away, because its not my job to educate people.

But if you want to learn more about ancient sites in America I'm working on another blog post...

This is Chaco Canyon in New Mexico it was occupied from around 800A.D., to the 1,200s. There are plenty of Native American sites across America that are even older.

What are you often asked when you travel? I'd love to hear so leave me a comment below.

This is my 8th blog post of 2018. Last year I blogged 127 times, that makes 10.58 blog posts per month, almost 2 blog posts per week. HEY THAT’S NOT BAD. Considering that it is a luxury to actually have time to sleep.

I even made the effort to update the look of the website and added video headers, plus some new pages. I have also opted to add a few affiliate links. I’m actually not sure if I want to continue them, we shall see. I also tried to refrain from bitching about work and being constantly exhausted all the time.

My 2018 new year resolution is blog at least 3 posts per week. I have never really cared if anybody reads this silly little blog, it has been more about documenting some of the places I’ve been and the insights I’ve had. So I am always surprised that people do follow. I want to say a BIG THANK YOU! 🙂 for your continued support.

Okay back to reviewing 2017...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

No, actually it was a good year. I spent most of it in New Mexico.

Which is a state in the USA, not the country of Mexico. Confusing, right?

We are still in the same house. Which we love very much..

This is somewhat surprising.We are still here, on the outskirts of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. I post mostly landscapes and of course food picture from here or random selfies, lol.

Honestly I am so in love with the mountains and the blue sky here and of course the house. We have a nice garden and mostly this feels like heaven. So I try to keep the house tidy and minimal even though it's big 2 story with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and a huge bonus room I use for an office, but I don't actually talk much about the house. The kitchen is nice, much better than what we had in the UK, but not as well thought out as the kitchen in France. But it works for us, as you may have noticed I am sharing more food picts and recipes. ​

More Vegan FoodI have posted more and more vegan recipes and cooking stuff in general this past year. Mostly because I have been home more and have the ability to cook more. I still want to remind you I am NOT a food blogger. ​

#MsOneCooks

(Avocado pudding.)

(Mango & Chili Nice Cream)

2017 hairI think I have taken more selfies in 2017 than all the past years combined. Remember when you wondered what I looked like? Yeah, those days are long gone.

But back to my hair, it is still blonde - And yes, I’m bored with it. I considered cutting it off this year, but I think I will wait another year. It grows pretty fast though and if I do not flat iron it you can see it is really thick. Using the flat iron may make the style look better - but I hate how thin and flat it looks. :(

​

See? It's everywhere.

Vs Flat Ironed and styled.

Travel in 2017Travel this past year was sparse. Well, compared to other years when I'm running back and forth to NOLA, Florida or France. But I did mange a few adventures...

Another day, another hotel room...

Janurary here in central New Mexico started out snowing... ​I am still impressed with snow.​It was fun for a few days and then it was over. #Goodtimes

Snow around my yard.

Jan - left the odd snow storm and headed to New York City. It was dark, cold and snowing there too. But New York is always amazing no matter what the weather is like.​This trip was part busines/part fun.

In February we left the dark and flew to Iceland. This was a destination that's been on my son's bucket list for years, but I was not that excited. But guess what? I LOVED IT!

It is so friggen' awesome!

And totally not what I expected. It did snow while we were there, but we still managed a night trip to see the Northern Lights. We stayed 7 days and it was not long enough. I'm sure we will return soon.

There was much more Vegan food than I expected and while the shopping is costly you can still find inexpensive gifts too.

March was a short Vegas get away and April was me at home planting a garden and experimenting in the kitchen.

May I had company and showed them around the area here. You can read about it here. I also started a mini food diary to share what I eat (people still ask) and what I typically purchase at the market.

This is the Isleta Resort and Casino - which my guest always want to visit.

Where I seem to spend 99% of my time..

August I began "What Are You Reading?" A quick review of my recent reads and such. Work was still very busy, but I made my mind up I was going to make time to read and relax more.

I'm an eclectic reader, so people seem interested in what I've read and my reviews. It has been nice comparing notes with fellow readers.

I'm still doing book reviews here and there.

September another review and of course the hurricane hitting my home in Texas. I actually didn't talk much about it. Maybe this year I will be able to share more, it's just completely overwhelming. STILL.

October was Halloween and I was supposed to go to NOLA for a right old party, but I came down with a bug and spent it in bed. #FML (But look out this year!)

November I blogged about American Myths and more book reviews. We debated on going somewhere exotic for Christmas, but decided against it. After spending the holidays in Europe and other amazing places it was nice to just stay in and chill for a change. We did explore around the area, here some. Check out this short video if you want to see an ancient Native American site we hiked.

I also posted more about my not so secret love of flowers and house plants this past year.

The bright side of being home more is I am able to garden.

So I posted more about gardens and houseplants than ever before. It's not quite an obsession, but almost.

Rescued succulents from the "dead" tray at Home Depot.

So all in all it was a great year. We didn't travel as much as usual, but that's okay too. I'm so thankful we are able to live in a nice place, with lots of natural beauty and good people.

I'm also thankful for you, taking the time to read my silly little blog. I appreciate it and the encouraging emails I get from ya'll. Thank you for your friendship and support!

Do you have big plans for this year? I can't wait to see what adventures 2018 will bring!

It's hard to believe it's almost Christmas! I've got most of my shopping done and wrapped. (So I will not be tempted to give it away early, lol) and just need a few little things for stocking stuffers. My list isn't that long so it will be a breeze, fingers crossed.

We went to the Dollar Store today and looked around for those stocking stuffers.

Hmmmm...I didn't find any.

I also spoke to my family in Texas today and told them I was not coming for the holidays. So Monday I will start mailing gifts to them. ​ Well, I will mail some, Amazon will take care of the rest, thankfully.

My brother called to discuss Christmas and tell me about the freak snowstorm they had this week. It usually snows in south/central Texas once every 10-15 years and turns into ice, a big mess and lots of traffic accidents! And people freak out. (See the news story here) But, fortunately this time it was just pleasant snow for about 24 hours and then was warm again. It does make it seem more like Christmas.

(Texas snow.)

We also went to the market to stock up on fruit and veggies today. I hate seeing advertsing on fruit...#PetPeeve

It has been snowing here in New Mexico off and on all around us. But mostly it has just been cold, but it is winter after all. We have a short day trip to Santa Fe planed for next month, so we should have really nice snow pictures then!

So much stuff, so little actual food. SMH

Behold real food...are at least a real cookie!

The bananas went into these vegan flourless cookies. I think I have finally found the holy grail of oatmeal cookies. These cookies were amazing! Let me bake one more batch and then I will post pictures and the full recipe.

I also picked these up for my son to try. He devoured them! Random-I know, but if you have a picky guest, pick up a bag.

I am glad to say I will not be having any guest or be running around the country like a crazy person this year. A staycation seemed like the thing to do originally because I had so much work to do, but I actually am caught up now, thanks to an amazing new admin and extra help! #WIN!

So we could go to Texas..but the more I thought about it, the more I knew sticking with the original plan was the right thing to do. I'm so excited about taking time off from work and just staying home and not having any commitments. It may sound lame, but after the busy ass year I've had it sounds like heaven to me.

I have guests currently and we went out questing for perfect pumpkins...

See? It's a Real Thing!

Yes, Pumpkin shopping is a real thing!
Okay, it may just be an excuse to get out before true winter begins...
But when isn't shopping always a good idea?
All the autumn decorations (and food) are worth experiencing.

Aren't these tiny pumpkins so cute?!

And these are pretty cool!

BIG pumpkin purchases!

Slip in with my fabric ones..coffee table now too crowded for coffee, lol

I'm just getting hungry, lol

Tea after a long day out..We are having such fun catching up!

In other non pumpkin related shopping...this is really good coffee!

I admit that's a BIG box. But you don't want to run out of coffee! #54Cups!

And yes, I might be missing Texas just a bit.
​You can try the coffee for yourself here:

K-Cups make a really GOOD cup of coffee! And the Texas city line is very strong, good quaility coffee.

And just when I was all in the winter holiday mood, the weather turned warm again and it was time for Summer Adventues!

I don’t actually regret reading these books, but I am not adding either to my library, either. I shall pass them on to some other reader whom I'm sure will appreciate them.

Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 1) by Charlaine Harris

This was my fault, I really enjoy Ms Harris's southern writing style. Her horror genre is funny, creepy and cool all rolled into one book. But obstinate me, why read reviews? Just buy the damn book, it has to be cool! Well, I should have read the reviews. See this series, so far I’ve counted 8 books, is just a good old fashion murder mystery series. No vampires, witches or were-anythings. (Insert sad face here.)

Okay enough whining and back to this book.

I felt the characters, while likable, were not as folksy (another thing I like about her Sookie and Midnight, Texas series) or as detailed. It was an easy, quick read with a few surprise twists along the way.

Was it a page turner? Yes.

Do I like this genre? No.

Was it well written? Yes. I like the fact she doesn't wax on and on about the texture of a lacy curtain or the meaning of the golden hue of the effervescent sunbeams, as some writer do. She fills out the characters and “gets on with it.”

Would I recommend it? Yes, if you are a Who Down It or Murder Mystery fan. I know, I know you are thinking way didn't you think it would be a murder mystery? For the love of God it has “murder” in the bloody title? Well, I selected this book because it was the first in its series, and because I love ScFi and Horror. I learned long ago that titles mean very little about books, lol. ​

I'm now at 19 of my 25 books for 2017 Goodreads reading challenge. Did you take the challenge too? According to the site I am “on track” to reaching my goal. ​Bravely on to the next book...

I have already donated this book!

Heart In The NightbyKaren BishopThis book.....sadly I could not handle. It could have been me, but I wasn’t able to even finish it. I just skimmed it and was so done. (And it was recommended to me!)

It was just of no interest to me. And that says a lot because I read just about anything from Young Adult to Science Journals. In defense of Young Adult, if a book is well written it will just draw you in. So that being said, maybe it was just me? I honestly don't know. The book has good, sold star ratings (I just checked) but suspiciously no actual written reviews. It was published in 2011 and is 172 pages long.

But was it a page turner? No, not at all.

Do I like this genre? No.

Was it well written? No

Would I recommend it? No​

​Sigh.....

Have you read either book? What did you think? Was it just me or do you agree?I’d love to hear your thoughts on these books.

Better Late Than Never... *Warning! Random Picture Post*I started this in June (2017) I have no idea why I didn't finish...So let's start from the beginning...This was the Vegancuts monthly snack box. It was GREAT, per usual. Check out all these healthy treats!

OMG!

These are so good!

So much good stuff!

This Vegan cookie MIX was AMAZING!

(Yes, this full size box/mix was included in this month's box) #OMG And what goes good with Cookies?

Tea! (IDK have a clue....why I took this picture or saved it!) But you know WHAT ELSE GOES WITH COOKIES?

Books! I added to my book collection in June, July, August, well you get the idea.

June seemed to be a month of tea, WTF?

And chopping pictures, lol.

And another...

I think what happens is I get so into cooking I forget to take pictures of the finished dish...so use your imagination lol.

I also discovered this in June. It is an amazing drink/snack.

(Didn't come from Vegancuts, lol)

So I searched my phone for other random June pictures...

Yikes!

Are you kidding me?

So much of June was text msgs I can't share and pict of me being exhausted. #GoodTimes

This may be why I never finished this post...I was working 18 +Hours a day in June! :x

My eye bags have eye bags!

But luckily I stocked up on Korean masks in June, lol.

Ahhh and June was when a snake came to visit me. He was in my front porch when my mail came. #Yikes!

Here, look at this pretty sunset and calm down after that snake pict.

And here is another. It started raining in June. This is sunset/rain and heat. #GoodTimes

So that was my June, more or less. Now on to the next 300 post in the queue!

I don't think in the five (5) years of this blog I have ever been this far behind! Between work and road trips I have nooooo time for anything! (Sobs softly on Mac keyboard, because I am too tired to move.)

I have been debating if I should spam all the old posts or just move forward from some magical, future date. Still considering, but at this point that date is late Feb. 2020, lol! #TrueStory

But let me say thank you for continuing to visit here. I see you dear readers and I appreciate you checking back time and time again for a new post and finding none, reading old random crap. You guys make me want to continue the blog, so let's see what happens, shall we?

Seems like May was over in a flash! Was it like that for you too?I didn't really blog that much in May.Work + Life = Me mostly not having it to give. #TrueStoryBut I did make an attempt, at least and you came back and read it again and again. I know because my numbers went up! LolBelow are the top, most clicked on posts for the month - if you missed any of them.

*Warning* food heavy posts ahead, lol1. What Are you Reading? (March Edition) -Hmm, Well I'm not sure I blogged any of what I was reading in April or May. But seeing this post was so well read, (pun intended) I will endeavor to catch you up with my reading list, lol So be on the look out...2. Mini Vegan Food Diary (April/May)This was posted on May 24th and is mostly pictures - 30 in total, including 2 of me. It was mostly random food I made during April and May + me looking like death from working too much. #GoodTimes3. Another Sunny SundayThis was posted on May 14, 2017 and features a hot air balloon almost crashing in my back garden!(One of my favorite posts for May) #MoreGoodTimes

4. May Vegan SnacksMay 19th post. Yet, another food post.Are you people obsessed with food or what?No wait, I seem to be blogging about food a lot don't I? This was the monthly Vegancuts snack box review. There was lots of sweet, vegan goodness inside. ​5. Rendezvous With RumiThis popular post is from April - It features some of my favorite Rumi quotes. If you want more Rumi click here #LoveHim6. Speaking of the WeekendMay 15, 2017, - This post features cactus and me whining about wanting to stay home and read. I also went and had tea with a friend and whined to her! Another mate made me go for a hike and I ended up cooking brunch for a group people. Warning -More random food pictures!7. More FlowersThis post is from April 26, 2017, and it features wildflowers, roses and more cactus. ​8. Top 25 Travel QuotesThis is from the Blog home page....Some of my favorite quotes about travel.9. Vegan Beauty BoxMay 2nd post and also from the home page. This was a Vegancuts Beauty Box I ordered. 9 pictures and extra points because I set the box (and some of the products) on a few of the books I'm currently reading! But sadly no food in this one, I'm sure had it featured food it would have scored higher, lol.

Thank you for reading my silly little blog and all the random randomness that is my life!See you at the airport!

This is another really random post of collected food from the last month or so. No real recipes, and no "plated" fancy food photos - just honest food my family mowed through, lol.

Now that the Farmer's Markets are going strong and fresh produce is arriving daily, I'm cooking more. Fresh is always best and fortunately we have a good selection of veggies here in New Mexico.

Are you ready to see what vegans actually eat?

I admit to being overly excited about the return of the Farmer's Market. #FreshProduce

Last week I roasted sweet potatoes. cauliflower and purple onions...

Mixed with spices and Quinoa....

Served with fresh avocado sauce and spinach... (Also not pretty but very, very good!)

I prepare Sticky Sushi Rice with Broccoli and Veggies at least once a week.

This turned out well - it is roasted pomme de terra, with heirloom tomatoes, arugula and sliced almonds.

Some days I come home and just want a good cup of tea and to climb into bed. #TrueStory But I made a resolution to cook more....

Resting bitch face :x

Last month was crazy at work! I have been so tired after all the meetings, that I just wanted to go home and go to bed. But, as I said I did make a resolution to cook more and eat less junk.Luckily I have a pantry full of fresh fruits and veggies and that makes it much easier.

Also I have been shopping for healthy staples at Thrive and Whole Foods. ​Have you tried Ancient Grains? I seem to be eating a lot of Quinoa and ancient grains lately. They are much easier to digest and so much better for your overall health.

I've also continued my obsession with Tofu Eggs and all the wonderful ways to fake cook eggs, lol.

Scrambled with mushrooms, potatoes and other goodies!

I'm also loving these MEGA XXL fresh strawberries.

Enough of that! I know you wanna see the cakes, fudge and other's snacks!

I hosted a Girl's Movie Night and bought packaged snacks...

But I have made Raw Coconut Lemon Bliss Bites this month! So, so good and quick!

Dates, raw coconut, and lemon juice/zest. (Great with Earl Grey)

And most days we still have peanut butter cacao Nice cream. This is what it looks like when I am too impatience to let bananas freeze properly. (Still tastes great!)

That disgusting looking red stuff atop my Nice Cream is a Raw coconut/strawberry topping that I created - is amazingly good.

I think we 1st found these in Vegancuts - now I buy all the time.

I have also "fake baked"Raw vegan fudge this month. It was Yummy! (Yes, thats raw..it looks "baked" doesn't it?)

And not food related, but I tried this new mask and totally had a reaction! I use other products from this brand...so WTF?

And for those coffee haters out there...

Maybe this is why I'm pain free? IDK - but I do like my coffee.

But you can't live on Coffee alone. Protein shakes are a staple at my house too.

:D

I'm excited to try new veggie combos and different fruit mixtures. I have collected a few new recipes I want to try out. The more "fake baking" I do the more I love it! So expect more food picts on my feed..

Author

Welcome to my travel blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too!

From art to shopping I'm just an average woman Enjoying and learning about life veery day. Follow my journeys as I travel, shop, and meditate my way through life...